SLIDE 1 Cuban Perspectives on Community Development: Building Integrated Approaches to Education and Local Development
- Dr. Reynaldo Jiménez Guethón
Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales (FLACSO-Cuba) Universidad de La Habana
November 6-10, 2017 Rutgers University–Camden
SLIDE 2
Defining Local Development
Local Development is a process that capitalizes on local
strengths and advantages to:
minimize obstacles achieve socio-economic growth and, positively transform the levels of equity and well-being of a
given place
Local Development promotes social participation by
strengthening the institutions and local actors to foster progress that leads to economic sustainability.
SLIDE 3
Local Development Strategies
Providing Opportunities: National and local institutions
guarantee access of social actors to opportunities that are grounded on quality and equitable growth. ,
Empowerment of Local Actors: It evolves through a
decentralized process that distributes functions, authority and resources.
Strengthening and Rescuing a Local Economy: Increase
local economic power to generate income streams and governmental resources and jobs that foster sustainability and self-sufficiency.
Resource Allocation: Guarantees economic and social
security to meet the basic social and economic needs that are necessary to live productive and dignified (Espina, 2006).
SLIDE 4 Growing importance of the citizenship and engagement in the local economy, neighborhood revitalization and sustainability
- f housing and infrastructure
SLIDE 5
Transdisciplinary approach
Transdisciplinary learning processes are necessary to align the work to the local context by integrating diverse disciplines and the voice, knowledge and experiences of all stakeholders including producers, farmers, managers (Nuñez, 2013).
SLIDE 6 Strengths of Local Development in Cuba
Availability of a basic infrastructure for services. Highly qualified human capital throughout the
country.
Free access to universities, research centers and
- ther organizations which offer education and
training to multiple constituents.
Availability of valuable reserves that can be
mobilized and managed at the municipal level to provide viable resources.
SLIDE 7
Challenges for Good Local Development
Need for greater participation of community
members in decision-making.
Better use of innovation and knowledge to
reduce the expenditures for local businesses.
Need for diversification of local economy. Increase the empowerment of women through
access to better employment opportunities.
SLIDE 8
Education in Cuba
The education system is 100 % subsidized by the
government.
Cuban students at all levels can attend school for
free.
SLIDE 9
Education must:
Respond to the real needs of the country and
community and provide diversified programs to meet the needs of every community member and that of new members.
Be considered a productive investment, rather than
an ordinary accounting expense.
SLIDE 10
Role of Education in Local Development:
Raise the awareness of people about their role
in ensuring the collective social and economic growth and development.
Meet both the social and economic needs of
people and communities.
Build the capacity of members of the community
for decision-making, problem solving and efficient management that leads to collective prosperity.
SLIDE 11
Cooperative education
"Cooperative education includes the development, dissemination and acquisition of new knowledge and skills by the members of a cooperative to facilitate their roles as productive community members. It promotes the cooperative values of solidarity, cooperation, autonomy, democracy, collectivism and equality (Jiménez, 2005). It facilitates the integration and alignment of people, place and community.
SLIDE 12
Role of Cooperative Education in Community Development:
Collective awareness about community
development and development strategies.
Institution building in alignment with community
needs.
Integrated approaches that combine qualitative and
quantitative measures for development.
Build capacity of community members and partners
to increase management efficiency and timely decision making for the common good.
SLIDE 13
Role of Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO-Cuba) in Education
Foster postgraduate research and teaching about
Cuban society through the development of multi and interdisciplinary perspectives that can contribute to solving community and societal problems and trajectories.
Advance academic knowledge in critical areas of
development at the national, regional and international levels.
SLIDE 14 FLACSO and Education: Concrete Actions
Master's Degree in Social Development Master's Degree in Management and Development of
Cooperatives
Specialization in Local Community Development Support for training and formation processes in
communities and municipalities in different territories
SLIDE 15
Project Santo Ángel. (FLACSO students have conducted studies on this community project. )
